Skirt steak marinade made with soy sauce, balsamic vinegar, garlic and olive oil gives this thin, beefy cut a deep, savory, slightly sweet flavor and a dark, charred crust. The marinade is whisked together in 5 minutes from five pantry ingredients. The steak soaks in it in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour, then cooks fast on a hot grill or under the broiler. Sliced thin against the grain, it is ready for tacos, fajitas, salads, rice bowls or a plain steak dinner.
How to make skirt steak marinade: Mix 1/2 cup soy sauce, 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar, 2 tablespoons olive oil, 4 minced garlic cloves and 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt. Pour it over 1 1/2 pounds of skirt steak in a zip-top bag and refrigerate at least 1 hour. Grill or broil 4 to 5 minutes, flip and cook 3 to 4 minutes more, to 145°F. Rest 5 minutes and slice thinly against the grain.
Why You’ll Love It
- Five ingredients. All of them are pantry basics.
- Big, savory flavor. Soy sauce and garlic season the meat all the way through.
- Fast cooking. The steak is done in about 10 minutes.
- Grill or broiler. It works outdoors and in the oven.
- Good for many meals. Tacos, fajitas, sandwiches, salads and bowls.
Ingredient Notes
Skirt steak. One and a half pounds. It is a long, thin cut with an open, coarse grain that takes up a marinade well.
Soy sauce. A 1/2 cup. It is the salt and the savory base. Tamari can be used in its place.
Balsamic vinegar. A 1/4 cup, for tang and a little sweetness.
Garlic. Four cloves, minced.
Kosher salt. A 1/2 teaspoon.
Olive oil. Two tablespoons. It helps the marinade cling and helps the steak brown.
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 pounds skirt steak
- 1/2 cup soy sauce
- 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
How to Make Skirt Steak Marinade
1. Mix the marinade. Place the skirt steak in a large zip-top bag. In a bowl, mix the soy sauce, balsamic vinegar, olive oil, minced garlic and kosher salt.
2. Coat and refrigerate. Pour the marinade into the bag, seal it and move the steak around to coat all sides. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour.
3. Heat the cooking surface. Heat a grill or set the oven broiler to high. If broiling, put a rack on a baking sheet.
4. Cook the steak. Transfer the steak to the hot grill or the rack under the broiler. Cook for about 4 to 5 minutes on the first side, until the edges char, then flip and cook for another 3 to 4 minutes, until browned. Check with a food thermometer: beef steak must reach at least 145°F before it comes off the heat.
5. Rest and slice. Rest the steak on a cutting board for 5 minutes. Cut the long steak into shorter sections with the grain, then turn each section and slice thinly against the grain.
How Long Should Skirt Steak Marinate?
At least 1 hour, in the refrigerator. That is the time this soy and balsamic mixture needs to season the meat.
Skirt steak does not have to be marinated. It is a flavorful cut on its own, and it can go on the grill with only salt and pepper. But it takes to a marinade very well, because it is thin and its loose grain gives the liquid plenty of surface to cling to.
| Question | Answer |
|---|---|
| How long? | At least 1 hour |
| Where? | In the refrigerator, never on the counter |
| In what? | A sealed zip-top bag, turned so every side is coated |
| Is a marinade required? | No. The cut is good without one, but it takes on flavor well |
| Can I reuse the marinade? | No. Throw away any that touched the raw meat |
After the soak, two things matter more than the clock. The first is the thermometer. Skirt steak is thin and uneven, so one end cooks faster than the other. Check the thickest part, and take the steak off when it reads at least 145°F.
The second is the knife. The grain of a skirt steak runs across its short width, not down its length. Cut the long strip into a few shorter pieces first. Then turn each piece and slice across the lines of the grain, into thin strips. Cut this way, every bite is short-fibered and easy to chew. Cut the other way, the same steak is stringy.
Tips for Success
Should I pat the steak dry?
Let the extra marinade drip off before the steak goes on the heat. A very wet surface steams, and you want it to char.
How hot should the grill be?
Hot. Skirt steak is thin, so it needs strong heat to brown the outside in the few minutes it takes to cook.
Can I cook it under the broiler?
Yes. Set the broiler to high and put the steak on a rack over a baking sheet, so the heat can move around it.
Why rest the meat?
Resting for 5 minutes lets the juices settle, so they stay in the steak when you slice it.
Can I use tamari?
Yes. Tamari works in place of soy sauce.
How Long Does It Take?
About 80 minutes, and most of it is hands-off. Mixing takes 5 minutes, the steak marinates for 60 minutes, it cooks for about 10 minutes and it rests for 5 minutes.
Storage and Reheating
Refrigerate cooked steak within 2 hours, in a shallow, covered container. It keeps for 3 to 4 days in the fridge or 3 to 4 months in the freezer. Reheat leftovers to 165°F.
What to Serve With It
Pile the sliced steak into warm tortillas, or serve it with rice and grilled vegetables. For more steak dinners, try the loaded steak quesadillas, the cheese steak tacos with buffalo fries or the shrimp and teriyaki steak noodles. If you like small, seared pieces, there are the steak bites and the garlic butter steak bites with cheesy smashed potatoes. And for a dry rub in place of a marinade, mix the Texas Roadhouse steak seasoning.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long should you let steak marinate for?
For this marinade, at least 1 hour in the refrigerator.
Do you need to marinate a skirt steak?
No. It does not need one, but it takes well to a marinade.
What does skirt steak taste like?
It has a strong, beefy flavor and a coarse, open grain. Sliced thin across that grain, it is tender to eat.
Can I use the leftover marinade as a sauce?
No. Discard marinade that held raw steak.
Final Notes
I lay the bag flat on a plate in the fridge and flip it once while the steak soaks. If you make it, leave a comment to tell me how it turned out or ask a question.
Skirt Steak Marinade
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Ingredients
- 1 1/2 pounds skirt steak
- 1/2 cup soy sauce or tamari
- 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
- 4 cloves garlic minced
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
Instructions
- Place the skirt steak in a large zip-top bag. In a bowl, mix the soy sauce, balsamic vinegar, olive oil, minced garlic and kosher salt.
- Pour the marinade into the bag, seal it and move the steak around to coat all sides. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour.
- Heat a grill or set the oven broiler to high. If broiling, put a rack on a baking sheet.
- Transfer the steak to the hot grill or the rack under the broiler. Cook for about 4 to 5 minutes on the first side, until the edges char, then flip and cook for another 3 to 4 minutes, until browned. Check with a food thermometer: beef steak must reach at least 145°F before it comes off the heat.
- Rest the steak on a cutting board for 5 minutes. Cut the long steak into shorter sections with the grain, then turn each section and slice thinly against the grain.
Notes
Nutrition
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